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One day, while sorting through old books in his father’s office, Dilyuk came across an interesting diary.
It was interesting because it was shabby; it is clear that only willpower and, probably, something magical, keeps the book safe from falling into pieces. And on the cover it is definitely written in unprinted handwriting: “What’s wrong with the red hair of the Imunlaucrs.” The surname was crossed out and “Ragnvindrov” was written higher up in a different handwriting.
Diluc stared at the book for about three minutes. It is known that many centuries ago the largest library in Mondstadt, which could only compete with the Sumeru library, burned down and a lot of knowledge was lost. Including the direct connection between the Imunlauks and the Ragnvindrs.
Dilyuk himself knows about his ancestors only because books about their clan were kept on the estate, and not in the library.
But what does this have to do with... red hair?
Diluc put the diary aside. He will read it in the evening.
Having finished sorting through the books, Dilyuk had dinner and sat down to write his diary.
The phrase on the flyleaf immediately caught my eye:
Our God is a silly little ball of feathers.
Imunlaucr.
And after that several dozen signatures. Some overlapped because there was no more room. But the inscription itself of the first (?) Imunlaukr was easily readable, even if the language was Old Mondstadt.
Hah.
Diluc stared at the inscription in disbelief. He didn’t think that someone could insult God, who had done so much for Mond, like this. Moreover, if his calculations are correct, this Imunlaukr lived during the construction of New Mondstadt, as he is known now, and also participated in the battle against Decembrian.
Although, in this situation, Imunlaukr would most likely have met Lord Barbatos. But does God himself know that he is called that?
Diluc decided to continue reading. In any case, this inscription did not explain the name of the diary-book.
Fine. I started writing this because... we're preparing something crazy. And I don't know if I'll survive. But this madness has to happen.
Amos calls it revenge. Gunnhildr is here because this wind elemental helped her clan. Carmen...
Oh my god, that baby. He's a real madman. Who else would believe so much in their goal, hope so much for liberation from Decembrian, that they essentially came up with this whole plan? He is 16, and he is already... thinking about how to do the best for people.
I don’t know who I’m praying to, but let him survive, please.
And this elemental, Venti. Carmen calls him that. This little bundle of energy, always asking for apples, although we don’t have many of them. I don't know, Venti is so... cute and weird in some way. Gunnhildra says that he saved her clan from eternal frost and gave her hope for the future. Carmen tinkers with him all the time, like a child, but claims that it was Venti who first believed in his idea.
There are about 500 more people with us. Against God, his army...
This is madness. This is all pure madness and stupidity. But we've already come this far. You can't retreat.
There will be a battle in a week.
Diluc gasped in shock. This diary... is a source of enormous historical information. And Dilyuk is sure that it is reliable; the book looked too time-worn to be faked.
He, of course, will not go to the knights, and, looking back at the first inscription, to the church. We must continue reading. Maybe tell Genie later. But only to her.
Diluc turned the page.
Decembrian is defeated.
One sentence. Then there are a lot of crossed out words, as if Imunlaukr wrote them in a fit of rage. They are impossible to disassemble. At the very end of the page:
Carmen and Amos died.
Diluc closed his eyes. So much pain in four words. And even if Diluc himself was not there...
He could understand.
But Carmen was 16...
Diluc shook his head. He sighed. Continued reading.
This Venti... I'm not sure. Perhaps he absorbed Decembrian's power and became the new God? How do they even become Gods??
Pause.
Could this Venti be...Barbatos?
However, Mondstadt has no need for Gods. One already... yes. And those floating islands are Celestia. If the Gods are supposed to help mere mortals, then why didn't they do it? And Decembrian only made things worse.
I don't really trust Venti. Especially since he had the nerve to make his uniform look like Carmen. Now he wears Carmen's face! As if this is normal! Carmen was our friend, the one who fought for us all, for our freedom, why does Venti think he has the right to look like him?! Because Venti is God?
I don't show this to anyone. Venti may look friendly, but who knows these Gods. Gunnhildr trusts him too much. Me not. And I won’t until there is evidence to the contrary.
It's a lot to digest.
Right now, Diluc was wondering how, with such mistrust, the Imunlaucrs became one of the clans of Mondstadt.
And how this attitude turned into... the first inscription.
Venti-Barbatos? Does he have 2 names now or what? He flew off somewhere. Gunnhildra and I don't know where he is. Outside the walls of Mondstadt there is only a snowstorm and mountains.
Looks like some time has passed between this post and the next one.
All. We all die.
The mountains, those mountains behind the walls, they rise into the air. It looks like someone is throwing them. I bet my entire fortune that this is Barbatos. People are panicking and don't understand what's happening. Gunnhildra tries to calm everyone down, but it is useless.
I was right that he couldn't be trusted. Only a few days have passed, and now Barbatos is already angry. Where did I miss? Where did he make a mistake and now he has decided to end us? Elemental Venti was really cute.
It doesn't matter, I'll fight. He won't hurt innocent people.
Crossed out inscription:
As if I have the strength to resist someone who cuts mountains.
Diluc blinked. Everywhere it is written that Barbatos cut down the mountains and blew away the snow to make fields for better human habitation.
But has anyone really thought about what it was like for those who lived during that time?
If you look at it from this angle... And take into account that only recently there was a battle against Decembrian...
And flying rocks...
Yes, this is a sufficient reason to panic.
...Maybe I was a little wrong. God came to us immediately after his...
Terraforming. He looked so pleased with himself.
It turns out that he cut down mountains so that people would have a place to live. And he found a place to build New Mondstadt.
Venti spoke in front of everyone. He said that he had found a place, that stones in the air would not fall, that he just wanted to do it for New Mondstadt...
He said so much. And he apologized. I didn't quite understand what he was apologizing for, but it seemed like everything.
Do the Gods Apologize? Why do they need this? They are so incomprehensible.
Then several observations were written - about the changing climate, melting snow...
Diluc closed the book with a heavy sigh.
So much information... He thought about the Barbatos statue.
So this is Carmen's face? The one who was selfless enough to go against the tyrant God...
Diluc ran his hand over his face. It's getting dark outside.
He will finish reading this diary, but tomorrow. Today he has work.
***
The next day, Dilyuk sat down with the diary again.
People capable of working came with us to build houses in a new place. I can't believe this. New Mondstadt...
I walked through the fields... only recently there were cold mountains here. I barely survived here, and so did Gunnhildra’s clan. And now I don’t even need a warm coat! The snow has almost melted.
Gunnhildr explained how she and Venti were able to negotiate with Lord Andrius. So now he's not God because he gave all his power to make the snow melt?
How does this divine thing work??
Diluc paused. Andrius was God?..
Venti walked ahead of the people and showed the way. Using his strength, he dragged heavy stones and trees as if they weighed nothing.
I don't know if people walked out of fear or faith. I myself don’t know why I’m going. I already doubt everything.
Some old, dried dirt on the page. Diluc scratched his finger, but nothing was visible. He took a sip of juice. Turned the page.
Several houses were built. Enough for the workers.
To my surprise, Venti helped too. Even when one of the workers accidentally dropped a beam on his wing, Barbatos did not get angry.
I don't understand the Gods.
Diluc snorted. Imunlaukr repeats this so often. But that's not to say he's wrong.
People know so little about the Gods.
New Mondstadt is practically rebuilt. It was fast.
It's so... refreshing. Without mountains, snow, storms, forever gray skies.
Venti declared that it would never rain again over the city of Mondstadt.
I'm starting to believe it a little.
Diluc turned the page.
Venti is not bad.
But such an annoying little shit.
What?
How... how did the attitude change so quickly?
To check, Dilyuk turned the page back, looked to see if the two pages were glued together, or if anything was missing. But everything indicates that this is, in fact, the next page.
For starters, I'm proud of my red hair. They made it easy for my companions in the past to find me in a snowstorm. I hope my red hair will be passed down from generation to generation.
But after cutting down the mountains, when Gunn and I talked to Venti, Gunn swore by them. I quote: “Venti, why in the name of Imunlaukr’s red hair do mountains hang in the air?”
Diluc stared at the text. So he now finds out the meaning of the book's title?..
And how did Jinn’s ancestor even come up with the idea of swearing by the hair of Imunlaukr?
I paid little attention to it then. But during construction, during meetings... Venti and Gunn kept swearing by my red hair. All the time. Every time the opportunity presented itself.
This was starting to irritate me.
Later I found Venti... not in the best condition. I won’t go into details - these are not my thoughts, I have no right to disseminate them. Especially if someone ever reads it.
We talked. About Carmen, about... everything. Turns out Venti knew I didn't trust him. Something about the wind knowing everything or something.
Diluc sucked in a breath. Does this mean that Barbatos knows about...?
This... shocked me, to say the least. Venti immediately began to assure that he did not want to invade personal space and all that. I believe him.
But that’s not about that now.
I understood why they swore by my hair. The reason is, of course, interesting. She convinced me even more that Venti is a good person. Albeit a little winged asshole.
It was probably around this time that phrase was written on the flyleaf...
But, if anyone is reading this? I won't say why.
Diluc looked at the diary in his hands in disbelief. Seriously?!
Let this remain just between me and Venti.
Then the handwriting changed a little. It was clear that it was still Imunlaukr, but probably older.
10-12 years have passed since I kept this diary... I re-read it, and nostalgia hits my eye.
The new Mondstadt is finally built. He is beautiful and alive.
City of Freedom.
Carmen and Amos would love it.
The Gunn founded the clan - Gunnhildr. On Venti's inspiration, I did the same, although I had no reason. I think Venti is just trying to have fun. And make the wine industry - what I'm doing now - as formal as possible.
There are still Lawrences there.
Holidays were approved - Ludi Garpastum and the Wine Festival. Of course, there are many more holidays, but these are the main ones.
They built a statue of Venti. It was supposed to be a surprise, but you couldn't hide anything from that little shit.
He REALLY liked it though. I didn't think eyes could open so wide.
I got married. We have a son. He has red hair.
Franz Imunlaukr.
He will never see cold snowstorms or terrible storms. He will live in a land of warm winds.
I believe in it.
Dilyuk blinked away droplets of tears that came from nowhere.
Read the formation of Mondstadt into the way he used to see him, first hand... From the words of someone who experienced it all. According to my ancestor.
Diluc looked out the window. Clear sky filled with a thousand stars. Mondstadt is in the background, with its windmills and Barbatos statue. Quiet breeze.
Idyll.
It is strange to think of Mondstadt as not a free city. But in Diluc's hands is proof that he was once not like that. There is evidence in the knights' library and his own that he was not free 1000 years ago.
Diluc turned the page.
The handwriting has changed. It was written by a completely different person.
While digging through my grandfather's things, I found this diary. I just want to say that I agree with every word that grandpa wrote on the flyleaf.
Why does Venti continue to use Imunlaucr hair as a curse? Every time I ask my grandfather about this, he smiles mysteriously and doesn’t want to answer!
It's so unclear. Gods are strange creatures.
Diluc snorted. Imunlaukr and his grandson were worth each other.
Although, when I first met Venti, I didn't know he was God. I even became friends with him. Venti has a beautiful voice (as expected from the God of Songs).
Imagine my surprise when my grandfather said that Venti is God. I didn't even believe it at first! But then Venti showed six wings, and...
Six?.. Six wings are never mentioned anywhere. Of course, Dilyuk thought about the possibility that this information burned down along with the library.
But there should be at least something left?
And he's been swearing by my red hair ever since. I hope someday I will get an answer.
And I’m thinking - our God walks among mortals, pretending to be a bard. And most Monstadt residents don't know about it.
Diluc paused. I tried to check in my head all the residents for the presence of two braids. No one seemed to have it.
There were some rumors that Barbatos had left us; Foreign traders speak unflatteringly of Monda as a country without an Archon.
In response, we say that flying rocks are our secret weapon, and if someone speaks ill of our Archon... Oh, those faces!
The people of Mondstadt only need to feel the warm wind and they will know that Barbatos has not left us.
I don't think I'll write anything else. I’ll leave this diary in the estate library, somewhere far away; maybe my great-grandchildren will find it.
Labbert Imunlaucr.
Out of curiosity, Diluc returned to the flyleaf. And here - under a couple of other signatures - Labbert's squiggle was visible.
What an interesting diary he found.
Diluc glanced over the next pages. The language slowly transitioned to a more modern one.
- Master Dilyuk, I brought late dinner. “You’ve been sitting too long without food,” Adelinda looked through the door, carrying a tray of food. Dilyuk was about to refuse, when the maid sent him a look, “This is not discussed, master.”
Diluc sighed resignedly and put the diary aside. The woman followed him with her gaze, but said nothing.
- Adelinda, did you know that my ancestor, who lived 2600 years ago, called Lord Barbatos a stupid ball of feathers?
The head maid stared at him as if she couldn’t fully understand why Diluc said this.
Diluc himself couldn't say why he did it, but he wanted someone else to participate in his existential crisis.
“I’m... not quite sure how to react to this, Master Diluc.”
- It's nothing, Adelinda. You can go.
The maid, a little embarrassed, although she hid it well, bowed and left.
Diluc stared at the diary. He definitely won't finish reading it today.
He finished eating, hid the diary, put on a mask and jumped out of the window.
***
The next day, Diluc was working as a bartender. Many more thoughts were running through his head than before. Even Kaya, no matter how hard he tried, couldn't get Diluc to get too annoyed.
- Hey, Master Diluc? You are extremely absent-minded today. Maybe you should cool your brains.
- It's none of your business, Sir Kaya.
The captain looked at him for a couple more seconds with a look that could even be mistaken for concern, and ordered more Death after noon.
Well, that's nice.
As he watched Kaya go, Diluc thought about that phrase.
The wind knows everything.
***
After a couple of days, it was finally a non-busy evening.
Diluc opened the diary.
The following pages were small notes from different Imunlaucrs - from generation to generation.
And everyone - everyone who knew God - complained that Lord Barbatos swears by their red hair and no one explains why.
And if it was written by someone who did not know Venti directly, they tried to make guesses. In Diluc's opinion, they were all... too forced.
Or here:
It is obvious that Barbatos has become friends with the dragon. Dvalin is what Venti called him.
He just has an incredible ability to be friends with everyone.
And Dwalin is a good dragon. He lets the kids ride on his back...
A few pages later, more serious information came across. Some parts were blurry, as if the person who wrote it was crying.
Lord Barbatos said that the War of the Archons was over... That his presence was no longer required.
I don't know what happened. Venti was gone for a long time, and when he appeared, he looked very exhausted and tired. I immediately gave him a bottle of the best wine.
A day later he gathered the heads of his clans. I'm not there, the head is my father.
A long time passed when dad returned. He refused to answer all questions.
…Lord Barbatos is now Archon Anemo. So announced Aneli Gunnhildr in the main square. The father and head of the Lawrences—I could never remember his name—stood behind.
Later that day, Venti came to see me to say goodbye. He gave me a sprout of a tree - a laurel - from Sumeru and told me why he swore by my red hair.
I didn't see him again.
But I planted the sprout next to the winery. I hope it grows into a big tree.
Laura Imunlaucr.
Diluc remembered a small forest of laurel trees not far from the building. His father told him to take care of him, although when asked why, he answered that he himself did not know, and that was what his grandfather wished.
Apparently, Dilyuk’s great-grandfather also found this diary.
People rarely asked why the Sumerian plant grew among the Ragnvindrs, but they themselves could not give answers.
All I had to do was disassemble the library...
Diluc shook his head sadly. We must continue reading.
Then again there were small notes from the Imunlaucrs, who asked why Barbatos swears by their hair. Looks like Venti has returned from wherever he was.
I think the Lawrences are up to something dark. Just in case, I will hide this diary as far as possible. This information must not fall into the wrong hands.
I hope the next Imunlaukr finds him.
Lezt Imunlaukr
Right before, if not already in, the Lawrence tyranny.
And also the time of transformation of the Imunlaukr clan into the Ragnvindrs.
Diluc turned the page excitedly.
Letzt hid this diary deeply. Several months have passed since the end of the Lawrence tyranny.
I am the Knight of the Dawn, Ragnvindr. I was born into the Imunlaukr clan, but under the yoke of the Lawrences I had to keep a low profile.
I didn't understand exactly what happened - I think this always happens when Venti is involved - but I became the head of a new clan. There are no more Imunlaucrs. Only Ragnvindra.
I don’t know how much history will be preserved from the Imunlauks. Mond's library was burned - the last of the Lawrences' dirty tricks. But this diary survived 2 tyrannies and has not yet been found by Venti. Success!
Being alongside Vanessa the Liberator and Lord Barbatos as a bard as you are announced as the head of a new clan... is exciting.
But even that doesn't stop Venti from swearing by my red hair.
I sign every word of Imunlaukra, and also solemnly cross out this name on the cover and write Ragnvindr.
The brightest dawn comes after the darkest night.
The first head of the Ragnvindr clan.
1600 years have passed, and no one has yet written why Lord Barbatos swears by the red hair of the Ragnvindrs.
It seems to Dilyuk that they didn’t write on purpose. Something, or someone, whose voice sounds suspiciously like Kaya, tells deep down that both the Imunlaukras and Ragnvindras of the past learned the truth and decided to mock the next generations.
Because the people of Mondstadt love to make fun of everyone. Whether it's because of the flying rocks, or the red hair of the clan... If there is a joke, it will last for centuries.
Dilyuk can already give 2 examples.
Once again, the following pages were devoted to questions from the Ragnvindrs about red hair. It’s like there’s nothing else there other than this.
But there are much fewer records.
To be fair, some Ragnvindras talked about how they found the diary, about their family, about Mondstadt. But only an essay or a note.
A page that had a lot more dirt and what looked like blood on it.
500 years have passed since the tyranny of the Lawrences, and a new misfortune has befallen Mondstadt. But already at the level of the entire Taivat.
I just want Mondstadt to survive. Please, Lord Barbatos, hear our prayers and help us in this difficult period of life. Hell has broken out, we can't cope.
Let my children live. That's all I ask.
Trogoth Ragnvindr.
Diluc's breathing hitched. He knows what the event was.
Cataclysm.
He rubbed his face tiredly. So much happened in Taivat, in Mondstadt, and so much information is recorded in this simple diary.
Dilyuk looked at the following pages - there were few entries left.
Trogoth's son says that he and his family survived - everyone except his mother. But that this should be perceived as happiness, and not as great grief - after all, they survived. After all, Mondstadt survived.
There is also a record that no one saw Barbatos after the cataclysm. He didn't come to Wine Festivals. There was nothing to indicate that it was he who was there, and not his winds.
The last entry was his great-grandfather's. Just a note that Barbatos is still missing.
Diluc is even somehow disappointed that no one is complaining about red hair.
He carefully closed the diary and placed it on the table.
Diluc will not go to church or to the knights with this diary. As he understood, the other Ragnvindra and Imunlaukras did not share any information from there, and he agreed with them.
You can't create hype and panic.
It is better to hide this diary in some dark corner where only he has access.
And now – wait and keep all the accumulated information in your head.
***
Several months have passed since Diluc read this diary.
A very suspicious bard in green has appeared in Mondstadt.
It is unclear where he was from, although he claimed that he was traveling and had not been in his hometown for a long time. But Diluc doesn’t exactly remember it being there in his childhood.
He drank a lot, a lot, paying with songs and bringing him clients, but he never really got drunk.
And Dilyuk doesn't believe in coincidences. Looking at those pigtails, so reminiscent of the statue in the square, and the name he goes with.
Venti.
Diluc is not a fool.
And so, when Venti - Lord Barbatos - and a foreigner appear in his tavern, he immediately believes them and decides to help.
He is drawn into the rescue mission of Stormterror - this is Dwalin - and he listens to Barbatos play the Holy Lyre, as this very lyre breaks; he climbs the tower of Decabrian, fights against the corrupt Dwalin, falls, is caught by Dwalin, he hears the philosophical speeches of his God -
And then this same God swears by his red hair. In the Tavern. At the very peak.
Yes, it seems to Dilyuk that this is a sufficient reason to get the diary.
(Fortunately, everyone is drunk enough not to remember, and there is enough noise there not to hear this phrase)
A few days later, Diluc finds the diary and tries to find Venti. It doesn't work the first time.
But finally, he sees the bard resting near Vanessa's tree.
- Venti. “What is this,” Diluc shoves the diary right under Venti’s nose. He comically squints his eyes and carefully takes the book from his hands.
He looks at the cover for a minute. Then a devilish sparkle appears in his eyes, a wide smile stretches on his lips. Venti drawls in a melodious voice:
- Master Diluc, do you mind if I...?
- Do whatever you want, just answer my damn question.
Venti nods solemnly and opens the first page. As he reads, Dilyuk immediately sees how sadness and sorrow color his face.
So he waits patiently, sitting down near Venti, on a nearby root.
Diluc hears muttering coming from God. Something about "they kept a diary for centuries and didn't tell me" and "seriously, I thought I was the one doing a good job of making fun of them" and even "damn, I screwed up so bad."
Several hours passed when Venti closed the book and handed it to Diluc. God looked at him with such grateful eyes that Diluc felt embarrassed:
- Thank you for letting me read it. This means a lot to me.
- So you didn’t know about the diary?..
- Nope. I think the winds themselves didn’t want to tell me. They also like to joke with me. I'm not the only one to be the funniest here!
- And you..., - Dilyuk hesitated, - You don’t mind what they think about you... right?
- Oh, Master Dilyuk! You care about me!
- That's not what I-
“Come on, don’t deny it, I know, I know,” Venti condescendingly patted Diluc on the top of his head, “I’m beautiful.” And I was friends with every Imunlaukr and Ragnvidr that knew me. Vanessa personally kicked me out of my own church, even though she knew exactly who I was. It does not bother me. I'm just glad to be a friend to my people.
Diluc took Venti by the collar and now held the bard at some distance from the ground. God looked at him with glee in his eyes, as if being disrespected was something he liked.
- Then tell me, what the hell is with the red hair?
- Well... You know that Imunlaukr didn’t trust me - I didn’t blame him in any way, I wouldn’t trust myself. Hmm... And I knew about this approximately... since I became God. The wind knows everything, prayers, everything like that. But Imunlaukr did not make contact, and I did not know what to do. So I talked to Gunn - because I didn’t know a thing about human emotions - and she suggested making a joke to get him out of himself, ahem, into conversation. After all, jokes save us in dark times, right? His red hair immediately came to mind, and so...
Diluc stared in disbelief at Venti, still hanging.
“And you... decided it would be cool if the next generations of Imunlaucrs and Ragnvindrs... spent years wondering why their God used red hair as a curse word?
- Well... the joke probably got out of hand, but I always told them the truth if they asked directly. Look at it this way, Master Diluc! Now your clan has a diary with a wealth of information that cannot even be found among the knights! Wasn't it cool to learn about your ancestors?
Diluc has to admit, his words make sense.
He finally let Venti fall to the ground. He scratched the top of his head, but still looked at Dilyuk with a sparkle in his eyes:
- So, Master Diluc... would you like to give me a bottle of good wine for the information that I gave you?
***
That same evening, Diluc signed the flyleaf. The first Imunlaukr was not mistaken.
Their God is still... a ball of feathers.